Progress Energy

Utility Bill

I moved to Orlando in June. My first bill that I received from Progress Energy was $120, a bit steep but considering I had my A/C set to 72-74 degrees all June it didn't seem too high. My bills for August and Sept were $180-190 which makes no sense considering I had my A/C set to 78-80 degrees and I was traveling half the time so I didn't use my dryer, lights, or any utilities that much. I live in a small one bedroom apartment and cannot fathom how my bills would be higher than what my mom pays for her 3 bedroom house! In my previous apartment in Tampa, my energy bills ranged from $65-80, and that's when I was enrolled in online schooling so I used a great deal more energy. I live on a month-to-month budget and these past two bills have caused me to cut my food costs, and if they continue to be this steep I cannot afford my other bills and have no clue what I'm going to do. I cannot understand how a small one bedroom apartments energy bill would be that high, I would have to be running my dryer constantly with the A/C set to freezing. I requested a home energy check weeks ago and never was contacted, so I'm not too happy with Progress Energy. Reading other people's complaints makes me jump to the conclusion that Progress Energy is vastly overcharging for services because they run a monopoly on this area. I used to be annoyed with TECO but now I long for the days of their mediocre customer service, at least I didn't suspect my bills were being unfairly charged. If anyone has any tips or suggestions as to how I can lower my bill, please comment. This past month I started air drying my clothes so I wouldn't have to use the dryer, and the only difference in my bill was $10...so I'm clueless at to what the heck is draining all my energy and how to help improve my next bill. Thanks.

Comments

I am a single mother and I am on a budget and I can't afford to pay my electric with the high cost from Progress Energy and the rest of my bills and that is including my rent. I don't understand how my bill is higher than my sister's and she has a 3 bedroom house with more people living there and I have a 2 bedroom apartment, with less people. Someone needs to explain how this is possible and also I am from Maryland and I have found that Florida does not want to help you with your bills there is never anywhere to go to find help with your bills because they are always out of funds and if they do help it is once per lifetime, so what are families to do when they have a low income become homeless or use candles and take the risk of catching your house on fire.

I can completely understand where you are coming from! However, there are many factors in why energy bills rise.
1) How many days are in the billing cycle from previous month to current
2) Has the daily temperature rose? By each degree you would want to add about 9% per degree. So if it went up 2 degrees that would be 18% roughly
3) Was your bill "actual" or "estimate"
4) When was the last time AC was serviced?
5) What temperature setting is your water heater on? Suggest 110 to 125 MAX (120 is usually best)
6) Dry clothes in evening time when it is cooler
7) Do your own Energy Audit through their site, is helpful because when the auditors come out; they are just going to say Ac 78 when home 80 when gone Water heater settings, stuff like that..